Chronogamer

At the bolwing alley arcade. I remember playing Seawolf. Astro Fighter (with Cregan). Venture. Battlezone. Asteroids. Space Invaders. Pac-Man. Missile Command. Galaxian. Star Castle. Omega Race. Space Wars. Q-bert. Tempest. (Some game with the statue of libery in the background?)

Probably New York! New York!

 

 

I feel these memories were more than half my lifetime ago, most of them were about 25 years ago. The fact that I think I'm actually recalling all of them bugs me. There should've been more. There should've been so many that I wouldn't be able to recall them all. I'm not in this for the nostalgia. remembering all this just fills me with meloncholy. friends I'll never see again. years I'll never get back. part of me wishes I'd spent more time playing videogames as a teen so I wouldn't have all these lost friendships to mourn.

To me, playing videogames is inextricably intertwined with the time I spent with my friends. I miss those times, and playing videogames of that era, because I miss those friends. Playing the games brings back the nostalgia, but doesn't bring back the friends. If you'd spent more time playing videogames, odds are, you would still be mourning those lost friendships just as strongly. Gaming, I think, was more social back then, because so much of it had to take place in the arcades. Even home games were, at least initially, geared towards more than one player. It was the popular way to interact with people. The games were fun, but they were secondary. As games became more complex though, I think they became more solo affairs, and as arcades died out, so did the social interaction that went with video games. I think it's still there to some degree, as I see students where I work hanging around after school playing Guitar Hero and such. I think the Wii has great potential to bring that social climate back to gaming. But it will still never be the same as going to an arcade back in the day.

 

(And no... online gaming doesn't count as a social experience. Sorry... you have to actually be in the same room with the person for it to count. )

 

I can't remember everything. I just wish I could stop trying to. I wish I had paid more attention when everything was happening. I wish I would remember to do that with my life even now. suddenly my son is 9. my baby boy. the person I held in my arms when he was less than 30 minutes old. less than a day old just rocking with him in the hospital room watching wierd blockbuster rental tornado home-movies. He's too big to hold anymore. i weep over it. i weep over my life and the years that just drip away one after another. turning 40 soon. how much life left? how much time?

At times I sure wish I'd paid more attention. I don't seem to remember entire years of things that happened. Maybe they were inconsequential. Maybe the brain is smart enough to keep the important things (like remembering holding your baby boy when he was less than 30 minutes old) and disregard less important thing (like the name of that driving game). I started keeping a journal last May, but haven't kept up on it. I should be more diligent with it, but then it begs the question - when in the future will I have the time (or inclination) to read it all if I did? Also, I've found that I don't like re-reading some of it. My memory tends to be more selective, mercifully.

 

On the bright side, however, you have a son. You've been able to watch him grow for nine amazing years, and have many more to come. You've got a lot of great memories to look back and smile upon, and share with him. Plus, you get to create new ones with him. I always enjoy reading the Chronogaming entries when you mention him.

 

Nice idea for a blog entry, by the way. I may have to try this myself sometime. Although I think it might end up being a lonnnnggg entry.

 

(Incidentally... I passed 40 a couple of years ago, so yes - there is life after 40. It sucks, but it's there nonetheless. )

Didn't Bega's Battle have the Statue of Liberty in the background at some point?

Damn. What an entry. Specially the final paragraphs. I'm all apprehensive now. I totally relate to this, as everyone probably does to some extent.

 

I'll just... keep going...

How much time is up to you. Turns out Death is caused by celular degradation. Your lifestyle and emotional wellbeing control much of that. In other words, stop kicking yourself!

The less we breathe, the longer we live!

Yeah... this was not the entry of a mentally healthy person.

 

I'm doing much better now, thank you.